The Cookie Jar Fund exists to help Functional Pathways employees and facility staff when tragedy strikes. Tragedy struck when Hurricane Ian made landfall on September 28. Ian raked a path of destruction across the southeast, devastating the Florida Gulf Coast. Ian was ranked as one of the most powerful hurricanes to hit the U.S. in decades.

Staff at several FP facilities in areas near St. Petersburg, Dunedin, Sarasota, and Venice were heavily affected. Employees endured loss of power, damages to homes and cars, and some were forced to evacuate. 

The CJF provided gift cards for food, gas, and home repairs to over a dozen employees. Here’s the story of one of our staff members in Sarasota and how the CJF was able to step in to provide support when she needed it most.

My family and I live in Punta Gorda, FL. Hurricane Ian was making a direct path toward our area so we (myself, my 15-year-old, and my 4-month-old) chose to pack up and go to a local shelter where my husband, who is a sheriff deputy, was working so we could be together as a family during the incoming storm. The storm arrived on Wednesday and continued to hammer the area for 12 hours. The shelter we were in was rated for a category 5 storm, but because the storm sat over us for so many hours with such high winds, the roof of the building started to buckle, lifting several times, causing us to relocate. Throughout the day and night the sounds were indescribable, and the roof continued to lift over and over!! Needless to say, my 4-month-old was clutched in my arms for the entirety and prayers were necessary. WE WERE SOME OF THE LUCKY ONES! We made it through the night.

Thursday we headed from the shelter back to our home. We had to take detours and drive through flooded streets. People were already clearing roads, including trees, parts of roofs, and all kinds of debris. We arrived home to extensive damage, including the loss of the majority of the shingles on our roof as well as soffit loss. All of this caused water damage to our garage, laundry room, kitchen, guest room, bathroom, and my son’s room, including a cave-in of the guest room ceiling. 

We had no power for over a week and relied on a propane generator to keep our fridge and freezer working and to maintain a primitive functional life while returning to work. Charlotte County was hit the hardest by Hurricane Ian, and the damage is unimaginable. Two of the three hospitals in our area have been destroyed, and gas and food are a test of patience and luck to even get. The loss of life will be unprecedented in the end of this, and it will take months to years to rebuild. But we are some of the lucky ones! 

My team was amazing to help cover resident needs following the storm while I was clearing debris and unable to safely drive my 45-minute commute to work. They gracefully showed up even without WIFI and treated without a complaint. I am truly blessed with an amazing team. I was so thankful for the prayers, well wishes, and offers to assist with any needs. Although life is different right now and frustrating at times without our usual life comforts, we were very lucky!!

Thank you to the Functional Pathways regional operations team for reaching out for updates, sending well wishes, and for helping myself and the team through hard times. Without great leaders we wouldn’t be successful. I really do appreciate all the help and well wishes! I am so grateful for the assistance right now! Thank you FP family!!

Functional Pathways’ charitable organization, The Cookie Jar Fund, was founded more than 12 years ago to provide relief and support when tragedy strikes employees of Functional Pathways and our partner facilities.

When an employee suffers an unexpected tragedy, FP employees can submit requests to the Cookie Jar Fund on their behalf. Any employee working for Functional Pathways or a partner facility may benefit from the fund. To nominate a coworker for Cookie Jar Fund assistance, visit our website at cookiejarfund.com or email us at cjf@fprehab.com.

Thanks to your generous support, the Cookie Jar Fund has supported over 260 families and has provided more than $180,000 in aid since its inception 12 years ago in 2010.

Thank you for continuing to give to others in their time of need. Together, we are making a difference in the lives we touch!

Functional Pathways’ charitable organization, The Cookie Jar Fund, was founded more than 10 years ago to provide relief and support when tragedy strikes employees of Functional Pathways and our partner communities. Since that time, Functional Pathways has provided opportunities for employees to lend a helping hand to colleagues in need. When a coworker suffers an unexpected tragedy, FP employees can submit requests to the Cookie Jar Fund on their behalf.

Any employee working for Functional Pathways, or any employee in a community where our company provides therapy services may benefit from the fund. To nominate a coworker for Cookie Jar Fund assistance, visit our website or email us at cjf@fprehab.com.

Thank you for continuing to give to others in their time of need. Together, we are making a difference in the lives we touch! To find out more on how to nominate individuals/families, how to contribute to the fund, or how the entire process works, visit our website at cookiejarfund.com or email us at cjf@fprehab.com.

Innovation is what brought the Cookie Jar Fund into existence 10 years ago. In 2010, the Cookie Jar Fund was created to provide relief and support when tragedy strikes our friends, families, and coworkers. Since that time, Functional Pathways has provided opportunities for employees to lend a helping hand to colleagues in need.

Since the Fund’s inception in 2010, Functional Pathways and its’ employees have shown their commitment to those in need. Thanks to employees’ commitment and generosity, the CJF has provided over $166,000 in aid to 246 families in the past 10 years. Twenty Functional Pathways and community staff were supported with almost $12,000 in aid in 2019 alone.

Functional Pathways’ employees are encouraged to maintain strong relationships through good times and bad with coworkers inside and outside of their Therapy Department. When a coworker suffers an unexpected tragedy, FP employees can submit requests to the Cookie Jar Fund on their behalf. Any employee working for Functional Pathways, or any employee in a community where our company provides therapy services may benefit from the fund. To nominate a coworker for Cookie Jar Fund assistance, visit our website or email us at cjf@fprehab.com.

At Functional Pathways, we believe in taking complete responsibility for our patients, our colleagues, and ourselves. Many employees have taken that to heart by donating to the Cookie Jar Fund. You can help others by making a donation through PayPal or having donations automatically deducted from your paychecks each month.

The Cookie Jar Fund lives out our value of self-improvement by empowering others to rise beyond difficult circumstances. We realize that we all need a little help from time to time, especially when tragedy strikes. That’s why the Cookie Jar Fund is here to lend a hand and help those impacted by sickness, death, or destruction to improve their lives.

Over the past 10 years, we have seen your passion on many occasions when tragedy strikes, and we know that you believe, as we do, that it is our duty to help those in need. We invite you to show your passion for making a difference and be part of making someone’s life better through the Cookie Jar Fund.

To find out more on how to nominate individuals/families, how to contribute to the fund, or how the entire process works, visit our website at cookiejarfund.com or email us at cjf@fprehab.com.

The contest heated up while residents mixed, chopped, rolled and cut out cookies during group therapy sessions. As expected, our creative teams came through baking some really unique cookies, all while hosting group therapy classes.

Here are some of the tasty details:

Copper Ridge in Sykesville, MD cooked up their contest entry for a couple of weeks. Residents spent one week planning their cookie menu. Then, for the next two weeks, they determined what ingredients were needed and even made aprons, all while working on fall prevention. The fourth week, it was cookie time! OT helps residents make, bake and clean up cookies, then PT worked on reaching while frosting and decorating. Then it was time to dig in!

The therapy team at Homewood Williamsport in Williamsport, MD mixed up festive Thanksgiving cookies while getting two groups of residents in on the sweet cookie action. One group therapy class prepared the cookies while another decorated them.

Western Hills Retirement Village in Cincinnati, OH savored sweet success in the form of chocolate chip cookies. Residents worked on hand hygiene, opened small packages and manipulated spoons during their group therapy sessions.

Thank you to all of our therapy teams who participated in the November Baking Contest! WOW…you all came up with innovative ways to treat patients while doing something fun and festive! It was fantastic!

It was a tough choice, but in the end two Wisconsin teams claimed sweet victory . . .

Oakridge Gardens Nursing Center in Menasha, WI won first place for their homemade chocolate chip cookies and dog treats they made for their therapy dog, Bella. As the pictures showed, Bella loved the treats! Congrats to this team who received a $200 Visa gift card!

Second place went to Heartland Country Village in Black Earth, WI. This team also submitted two entries making sugar cookies, turtle waffle cookies, and rice krispie treats in their group therapy classes. The patients had a great time baking and eating the yummy cookies! They won a $100 Visa gift card!

Congrats to both of our winners and everyone who participated in the contest!